Water Bottles?

Has anyone else had a problem with the Super Pet (or any) water bottles? I've bought two and neither work well. I tap on the ball and about 70% of the time it's bone dry. I have to squeeze it to get any water and then after a bit it dries back up.


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I went through a couple of water bottles before I switched to using a water bowl. I have the ones that attach to the side of the cage so they are less likely to step in them or spill them.

Personally I've had more issues with bottles leaking. Rabbits drink more from bowls anyway so I typically offer a bowl (actually I use a gravity waterer) anyway.

I used the have the water bottles with the metal spring and rod in them. They worked well and it took over 2 years for one to leak. Then I replaced the leaky one with a bottle with a ball it leaked like crazy! I then switched to bowls. My lop was the only one who would drink from a bottle anyway. My Dutch when she was a baby she couldn't get the hang of the bottles, with the rods or with the balls. She would spend a lot of time at the bottle and not get enough to drink and she would make a mess because the bottles would let out so much water. (I can only imagine that she was thirsting to death at the pet shop, since she couldn't work the bottle at home)

They have bowls that hook to the sides of the cages, if you need something like that. I prefer a heavy ceramic bowl for my bun. I'm thinking about getting a gravity waterer because my cats drink from the rabbits water bowl and I feel like I fill it up 10 times a day! LOL

I would offer you bun a bowl, so it doesn't get dehydrated.

I never really liked bottles, always get dirty inside and hard for the rabbit to drink from. I realised how annoying and hard it was, when one of my old rabbits, who had a fair amount of attitude anyway, would sit there trying to get a drink and get her front paw and physically hit the spout to try and make more water come out. I then switched to bowls and never looked back. Use big ceramic ones so they don't tip over.

I use Lixit widemouth bottles, and they're great! Easy to clean and work well. I haven't had them spring a leak.

I've used the Lixit brand flip top water bottles and they're very convenient because you just flip the top and pour the water in...no need to take the bottle off to refill each time. The last couple we got had hairline cracks in them and kept leaking down to the crack :sigh:. Since we used them outside the metal wingnut would rust to the screw that held it to the cage if we left the bracket too long in one place. We mainly used them as a secondary water source in the summer, if their bowls ran dry.

We just get our bottles at Wal Mart. Never had a problem with them leaking unless they get very low.

I wish I could use water bowls too, if only my bunnies would stop stepping in them when they hop around! They're so clumsy. I have to use bottles with the ball in their cage, and they do leak a bit. I deal with this by making sure the spout drips into the litterbox. If your bottle isn't dispensing water easily, definitely do not use it.

I bought a water bottle at the very beginning and it was the type with a ball in the spout as well. It only leaked a tiny bit - more like the water would gather at the tip and very occasionally fall as a droplet - but I took it off after a few days because I noticed that Mocha hardly touched it. I'm not sure if it was a matter of him not knowing how to use it or not happy with how little water he gets; plus, that thing can be surprisingly noisy! I ended up going with a small ceramic tea cup that is too heavy for him to tip over, and it's been working out perfectly for him ever since Even in the summer when he drinks the most, the cup holds enough to last him the entire scorching day with some more left to spare. If I feel like it's dipping a bit too low for my liking I just fill a small water bottle, lean over the xpen and pour it into the cup.

I prefer, if there is room, to use both sipper bottles and ceramic bowls. .. I agree that rabbits that acquire water ONLY from sipper bottles tend to be a bit on the dehydrated side. And water bottles easily collect nasty bacteria at the point of the ball (so should be run through the dishwater weekly ideally), do leak, and are not always dependable (can instantly drain out all their water if a bit of hay gets stuck in them) leaving your bunny really dehydrated all of a sudden. But bowls do tend to collect a lot of hay and debris... still, having both is a compromise that works about as best as it can.

I had a large ceramic dog bowl for Thumper. he took to pushing it around and it would spill. He would then step in the water and get his feet wet because he doesn't mind being wet in the least. I gave Laverne and Shirley his bowl and they do not move it. It holds enough water for a few days for them but I do give them fresh every day.

Thumper now has a large stainless steel dog bowl that attaches to the side of his cage. It holds more than a days worth of water although I give him fresh every day. With this bowl he does not wind up standing in it like he would with his old bowl occasionally. It hangs but not far above the floor of his cage so he can still reach it well.